There’s one significant difference between people who succeed in life and those who struggle; their ability to set goals and achieve them. To have what you want in life, you can’t just sit back and expect it to happen. Success means different things to different people and when it comes to setting financial goals, success is much more than having a lot of money in the bank. A big bank balance is only a good thing if you set out amass a lot of wealth just for the sake of it. Ideally, if you want to enjoy life the aim is to have enough money on hand at the time you need to spend it.

The purpose of goals is to give you a long term vision and to increase your short term motivation. Having goals focuses your mind on what you need to know and do to be successful, so that you can make the most of your life. Goals should be precise, clear, and meaningful. Set your goals too high and you will quickly lose motivation if you don’t succeed. Make your goals too easy and won’t be motivated either. You are much more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down and if you break them down into small steps so you can measure your progress.

When it comes to setting financial goals, it is hard to contemplate achieving long term goals if you find yourself unable to save or burdened with short term debt. In that case, you need to set goals in two stages. In the first stage, plan to get rid of debt and start saving. Once you have achieved that milestone, you will be in a financially sound position that will enable you to move forward and set longer term goals.